Strapping material is used in a wide variety of applications to secure or bundle loads. The strap material is typically metal or plastic and can be applied and tensioned around the load using either a manual or an automatic tensioning tool or tensioner. In one use, a loop of strap material is positioned around a load with a crimp seal loosely placed around the overlying courses of strap material. The tensioner is then used to draw tension in the upper strap course, by positioning the crimp seal at the nosepiece of the tool and drawing the upper strap course.
Manual tensioners use a manual lever or handle operably connected to a tension wheel to draw tension in the strap and to hold tension as a seal is made in the strap. Although manual tensioners function well, they require manual operation. This can be a labor intensive undertaking and can, when carried out numerous times in a day, be very fatiguing. Moreover, the position or orientation of the strap or load may make using a manual tensioner awkward or difficult, especially after repeated uses.
Automatic tensioners are known that use pneumatic circuits to drive a tension wheel to tension the strap. While such tensioners function well, a source of compressed gas, such as compressed air, must be available for operation of the tool. Thus, such a tool has limited use when needed in a location that does not have a compressed air source readily available.
Accordingly, there is a need for a powered strap tensioner. Desirably, such a tensioner is portable and can be used anywhere as needed. More desirably still, such a tensioner is powered by an on-board source and can operate through an automatic tensioning cycle.